


Love Language

by faierius



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Afterlife, Bittersweet, F/M, Flower Language, Flowers, Lifestream, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25697089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faierius/pseuds/faierius
Summary: Aerith and Zack are tired of watching Cloud bumble around and want to give him a little push in Tifa's direction.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Kudos: 25





	Love Language

“What’re you doing? Watching the kids again?”

“Mm. I miss them.”

“They miss you, too. Could definitely use your guidance from here. Especially that one. He’s a good kid, but romance is not his strong point.”

A scowl creased _his_ brow like he knew _they_ were talking about him.

“You would know.”

“And everyone thought _I_ was the puppy.”

“What do you say we give them a little push?”

“What’re you planning?”

“Well…”

***

Cloud lifted his head and glanced up at the upper level of the old church. There was no one there—there never was—but he always had the feeling of being watched while he was here. Maybe _watched over_ was a better way to describe it, since the presence never felt malicious.

Sighing, he stretched out one leg and looked back at the bed of flowers. The constantly blooming plants always calmed the constant whirlwind of complicated emotion in his heart. There was peace here. Peace he so desperately needed.

_She can bring you peace, too._

_C’mon pal, you’ve totally got this._

Head snapping up, Cloud looked around with wide eyes. Those voices were so clear, so close, they had to be right beside him! His heart not only dropped but plummeted when he saw the pew remained empty to both sides of him. His chest ached as he sank back against the uncomfortable wooden bench.

The pool of sunlight on the flowerbed glittered and a breeze caught the petals.

Boot heels clicked on the wood floor, echoing off the stone walls.

The ever-present ache in Cloud’s chest grew.

“Whenever you disappear, I always find you here, watching the flowers.”

Cloud didn’t reply.

The newcomer sighed softly and stopped next to his pew.

Cloud could feel Tifa staring at him and he resisted the urge to squirm under her gaze. She always seemed to look right into his soul.

Sighing again when he didn’t even look her way, Tifa plopped down on the pew next to him, her long dark hair falling over her shoulder. “I won’t know what you’re thinking if you don’t tell me,” she finally said, voice barely above a whisper. “If you’re hurting, you don’t have to hide it from me.”

A soft exclamation left Cloud’s lips as he finally looked at Tifa. She sat forward on the pew, hands tucked between her thighs as she stared wistfully at the blossoms.

“It still hurts me, y’know? I think about her all the time. I think about all of the things she’s missed, all of the things we could have done together, all of the promises we made…But I try and stay positive, to keep her memory alive every day by doing everything in my power to help those around me. But…I can never seem to help you.”

“Tifa…”

“You aren’t the only one who comes here to think, y’know. Sometimes, when you’re out on a delivery and the bar is closed, I come here to be alone. But I’m never alone. She may have returned to the planet, but I can still _feel_ her. She watches over the flowers. She watches over us.”

Cloud deflated slightly, looking back up at the railing on the upper level. “Tifa…”

She blew out a breath, lowering her head, hoping to hide her glistening eyes from Cloud.

“Ah,” Cloud gasped, any other words caught in his throat. He clenched his hands, the leather of his gloves creaking. He wasn’t good at this.

Tifa shook her head, taking a deep breath. She blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Pain and anger and something he refused to identify warred in his chest. _He_ was doing this to her. He was hurting her, and he would keep hurting her as long as he stayed.

In a single fluid motion, Cloud got to his feet, grabbed his sword from where it leaned against the pew and put it on his back. He suddenly wanted to be anywhere but Midgar. He barely made it two steps before Tifa was on her feet as well.

“Stop living in a memory, Cloud!”

With a quiet grunt, Cloud turned away and grit his teeth.

“Please.”

Brows twitching, Cloud looked back at her. “I…can’t.”

“Why? It’s over! None of it was your fault.”

“It was! All of it…”

Tifa lifted her hand in a half-hearted attempt to reach out for him. “Cloud.”

“I can’t let anyone else get hurt,” he admitted. “Everyone I…” His nostrils flared as he bit back the rest of the statement.

_She’s right, you know._

_You did what you could. That’s what matters._

Cloud whipped his head around, hoping to spot the source of the voices somewhere. _Anywhere_. Again, there was nothing. “I can’t,” he repeated, softer this time.

“Cloud, you have so many people who care about you. Would it kill you to return some of that? Ugh, I’m so stupid.” It was Tifa’s turn to look away. She clenched her fists into tight balls at her sides.

_Careful, buddy. She might deck you._

A quiet giggle followed the disembodied statement.

“She has every right,” Cloud muttered under his breath.

Tifa gave a sharp shake of her head. “I’m tired of this argument, Cloud. I’m tired of trying to keep you here with us. With _me_.” Swallowing hard, she turned toward the open doors. “If you want to run away, I won’t stop you. Just know mine isn’t the only heart you’ll break.”

“Uh!” Eyes wide, Cloud lifted a feeble hand. The church doors slammed shut and a gust of wind caught his clothes. His head throbbed. Memories flashed through his mind’s eye.

**_His promise_** _._

He promised Tifa he would save her if she were ever in danger. But what if _he_ was the danger? She would never be safe with him around. Could he save her from himself?

He clutched his head and grit his teeth. Somehow her pain echoed his own, reverberating inside his head, inside his heart.

“Cloud!”

Opening his eyes, Cloud’s jaw dropped. In the short time he was caught in the memory, the church became a flurry of colourful petals. More than what grew in the flowerbed. Colours he had never seen before. He could feel the pull of the Lifestream.

“Aerith!” he called into the blizzard of petals.

Just as quickly as it began, the storm ceased, every petal dissolving into green and white particles that faded away.

Cloud and Tifa stood stunned, mere inches apart. Neither of them moved, yet the space between them was gone.

Tifa’s eyes brightened. “Cloud, look!”

Attention moving to where she pointed, Cloud spotted the massive bouquet on the pew next to them. A card sat next to the flowers. Confusion marring his brows, Cloud scooped up the bouquet and card. He read the few words on the card before holding the flowers out to Tifa.

“These’re for you…I guess?”

“Ah?” Blinking wide eyes, Tifa accepted the bizarre bouquet. It was huge and eclectic. Carnations, honeysuckle, chrysanthemums, gladiolus, ferns, camellias, daffodils, and…forget-me-nots.

“They’re pretty,” Cloud said, watching Tifa’s red eyes flick around, taking in the strange variety of flowers.

“They’re gorgeous, Cloud! Where did they come from?” She looked up at him, gently hugging the massive bouquet.

“Dunno.” Cloud heard two exasperated groans behind him. “Guess I got a couple guardian angels looking out for me.”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry. I know I’m not good at a lot of things, and the things I am good at only causes pain. I’ll do better. I won’t run.” Cloud shook his head, unable to meet Tifa’s inquiring gaze. He didn’t want to keep hurting her, but leaving would hurt her more than anything right now.

“You mean you’ll stay?”

“I’ll stay.”

Tifa smiled so brightly, Cloud nearly tripped on his own feet when he took a step back. His heart thumped hard against his ribs, but it wasn’t painful this time.

“Thank you, Cloud.”

“Uh…yeah.”

“Let’s go home.”

“Sure.”

***

“Hmm.”

Zack laughed, watching his old friend follow the woman out the doors. “He might be a lost cause, Aerith.”

“No…he just needs to learn.”

“You mean remember?”

“Yeah, maybe that’s it.” Aerith tilted her head, turning and staring at the flowers. “After all, he loved you once.”

“Yup. He’s just gotta remember how happy being in love makes him. He’ll come to his senses eventually.”

“They still need some help,” sighed Aerith, putting her hand on Zack’s arm.

“That’s why we’re here.”

“We’ve got a job to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into writing FF7 in many, many years. I'm not particularly comfortable with writing the characters yet, but I hope I did them justice. Now, this story is a one-off, but it has the potential to be continued if it gets enough interest. Do you want to see more of Aerith and Zack helping Cloud and Tifa get together? Let me know! ^_^


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